I am writing to ask you to do all you can to oppose the threat to close down the federal government and/or not raise the debt ceiling. This threat holds my family’s and the nation’s economic well-being hostage. Both the Affordable Health Care Act and the budgets that resulted in the debts incurred by the federal government were passed by both houses of Congress and signed into law by the president. It is not appropriate to seek to overturn these legitimate decisions by legislative terrorism.

My daughter, now five months pregnant, works in a FQHC (Federally Qualified Health Center), which depends on federal funds to stay open. I am retired and living off a pension and 401k and IRA portfolios that are heavily invested in federal debt, i.e., U.S. bonds. My hometown, Moab, will virtually close down if both the national parks that support our tourist industry are closed.

Please urge your colleagues to put our nation’s well being before their ideology and distaste of the AHCA and our nation’s debt. To fail to do so will result in untold harm to individuals, families and our nation.

We're glad to give readers a forum to express their points of view on issues important to this community. That forum is the “Letters to the Editor.” Letters to the editor may be submitted directly to The Times-Independent through this link and will be published in the print edition of the newspaper. All letters must be the original work of the letter writer – form letters will not be accepted. All letters must include the actual first and last name of the letter writer, the writer’s address, city and state and telephone number. Anonymous letters will not be accepted.

Letters may not exceed 400 words in length, must be regarding issues of general interest to the community, and may not include personal attacks, offensive language, ethnic or racial slurs, or attacks on personal or religious beliefs. Letters should focus on a single issue. Letters that proselytize or focus on theological debates will not be published. During political campaigns, The Times-Independent will not publish letters supporting or opposing any local candidate. Thank you letters are generally not accepted for publication unless the letter has a public purpose. Thank you letters dealing with private matters that compliment or complain about a business or individual will not be published. Nor will letters listing the names of individuals and/or businesses that supported a cause or event. Thank you letters about good Samaritan acts will be considered at the discretion of the newspaper.